Description
Promoting Unity and Peace Among Christians: Lessons from 2 Corinthians 13:11
In this episode, we explore the significan… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Have you ever noticed how much Christians disagree with one another and try to prove each other wrong? Is this something that God likes? Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 11. Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration. Comfort one another. Agree with one another. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Paul in his day had already seen Christians falling out over items of doctrine, over sin and grace. And he didn’t want this to continue in the churches that he felt responsible for.
He’s saying to them, be restored in your relationships. Make sure that you are not arguing over these things. Turn together to Christ. Follow true and right doctrine. Bring comfort to one another. Agreeing with one another.
How can we do this, brothers and sisters, when we have such a focus on being right? Where has our humility gone? If we are saying, this is the right way to read this verse and you are all wrong and you are apostate and I’m not even sure that you’re saved, how does that honour God? How does that show the respect that he wants us to show for one another? Paul is right down the line here.
He does not approve of incorrect doctrine and he rebukes and corrects where that’s needed. But he also wants to bring people back into fellowship. So we deal with the issues and then we move forward as one united body of Christ. We are so far from that today, aren’t we, my friends?
But this is what the Holy Spirit is asking of us, to live in peace with other people who love Jesus, so that we can together spread the gospel, this message of love and truth and justice and reconciliation.
Please take some further time to meditate on this scripture that you’ll find in the description and ask of God, what can I do to pursue restoration in the body of Christ?
